Conventional airbag modules comprise a housing and an airbag which is folded up into an airbag pack, the airbag being arranged in the housing and adapted to be inflated by means of gas from a pressurized gas source, the housing having an outlet opening that defines an outlet plane. Such airbag modules are generally cuboidal in shape. On the passenger side, they are preferably installed in the dashboard, as is shown, for example, in German Pat. No. 197 36 243 A1, namely, with their lengthwise axis crosswise to the driving direction. Until now, the airbag modules have been provided with the largest possible outlet opening for the airbag; the width of the outlet opening, that is to say, the dimension crosswise to the lengthwise axis in the outlet plane, is usually approximately as large as the largest width of the module housing in the same direction, so that the airbag pack can be ejected rapidly and without hindrance. Such a large outlet opening, however, also requires a correspondingly large cover flap in the dashboard. In order to keep the effect to the vehicle occupants to a minimum if they are not seated in the optimal sitting position, however, the installation site for the airbag module should be as far away from the vehicle occupant as possible, in other words, near the windshield.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide an airbag module that can be installed near the windshield.